Image forming apparatus and sales support system

Abstract

An image forming apparatus comprises a first communication section which is connected with a first communication apparatus used by a user who wants to purchase a commodity to be sold in a communicable manner and receives a first purchase instruction for instructing purchase of the commodity from the first communication apparatus; a display section which displays information relating to the commodity; an operation section which receives a second purchase instruction for instructing purchase of a commodity displayed on the display section; and a second communication section which transmits the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction to a sales support server which instructs a store clerk that a commodity to which the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction is carried out by the user is conveyed to a predetermined position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a first communication section connected with a first communication apparatus used by a user who wants to purchase a commodity to be sold in a communicable manner, the first communication apparatus configured to provide a first purchase instruction for instructing purchase of the commodity;   a display section configured to display information relating to the commodity;   an operation section configured to receive a second purchase instruction for instructing purchase of a commodity displayed on the display section; and   a second communication section configured to transmit the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction to a sales support server instructing a store clerk that a commodity to which the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction is carried out by the user is conveyed to a predetermined position.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in response to receipt of customer identification information by the first communication section from the first communication apparatus that stores the customer identification information, the operation section starts to receive the second purchase instruction.   
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a non-contact reader configured to read customer identification information from an IC card for storing a customer identification information, wherein   if the non-contact reader reads the customer identification information from the IC card, the operation section starts to receive the second purchase instruction.   
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an image reading section configured to read image information from a sheet on which information relating to the commodity is printed; and   a commodity retrieval section configured to retrieve the commodity based on the read image information to acquire commodity information of the retrieved commodity, wherein   the display section displays the commodity information.   
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a printer section configured to form an image on the sheet based on the commodity information.   
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the commodity retrieval section transmits the commodity information to the first communication apparatus.   
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the commodity retrieval section acquires commodity information of a plurality of commodities in a case in which there is a plurality of retrieved commodities, and   the printer section aggregates a plurality of acquired commodity information to form an image on one sheet.   
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the operation section receives a second purchase instruction and the second communication section transmits the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction in a wireless manner. 
     
     
         9 . A purchase support method, comprising:
 receiving a first purchase instruction for instructing purchase of a commodity;   displaying information relating to the commodity;   receiving a second purchase instruction for instructing purchase of a commodity displayed; and   transmitting the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction to instruct a store clerk that a commodity to which the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction is carried out is conveyed to a predetermined position.   
     
     
         10 . The purchase support method according to  claim 9 , wherein
 in response to receiving of customer identification information from a storage of customer identification information, receiving the second purchase instruction is initiated.   
     
     
         11 . The purchase support method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 reading the customer identification information from an IC card for storing a customer identification information in a non-contact manner, wherein   if reading the customer identification information from the IC card, receiving the second purchase instruction is initiated.   
     
     
         12 . The purchase support method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 reading image information from a sheet on which information relating to the commodity is printed; and   retrieving the commodity based on the read image information to acquire commodity information of the retrieved commodity.   
     
     
         13 . The purchase support method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 forming an image on the sheet based on the commodity information.   
     
     
         14 . The purchase support method according to  claim 12 , wherein
 transmitting the commodity information to a user.   
     
     
         15 . The purchase support method according to  claim 9 , wherein receiving the first purchase instruction, receiving the second purchase instruction, and transmitting the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction are conducted in a wireless manner. 
     
     
         16 . The purchase support method according to  claim 9 , wherein
 acquiring commodity information of a plurality of commodities in a case in which there is a plurality of retrieved commodities, and   aggregating a plurality of acquired commodity information to form an image on one sheet.   
     
     
         17 . A sales support system comprising a first communication apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a sales support server which are connected with each other via communication lines,
 the first communication apparatus comprising:
 an operation section configured to receive an operation by a user who wants to purchase a commodity for sale; and 
 a communication section configured to transmit a first purchase instruction for instructing purchase of the commodity to the image forming apparatus in response to the operation, 
   the image forming apparatus comprising:
 a first communication section connected with the first communication apparatus in a communicable manner and configured to receive a first purchase instruction for instructing purchase of the commodity from the first communication apparatus; 
 a display section configured to display information relating to the commodity; 
 an operation section configured to receive a second purchase instruction for instructing purchase of a commodity displayed on the display section; and 
 a second communication section configured to transmit the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction to the sales support server, and 
   the sales support server comprising:
 a communication section configured to transmit information indicating that the commodity to which the first purchase instruction or the second purchase instruction is carried out by the user is conveyed to a predetermined position to a second communication apparatus that is operated by a store clerk. 
   
     
     
         18 . The sales support system according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the sales support server further comprises:   a transmission section configured to transmit event data indicating an event to be held in a retail store which sells the commodity to the first communication apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . The sales support system according to  claim 17 , wherein
 the image forming apparatus further comprises:   an image reading section configured to read image information from a sheet on which information relating to the commodity is printed; and   a commodity retrieval section configured to retrieve the commodity based on the read image information to acquire commodity information of the retrieved commodity, wherein   the display section displays the commodity information.   
     
     
         20 . The sales support system according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a non-contact reader configured to read customer identification information from an IC card for storing a customer identification information, wherein   if the non-contact reader reads the customer identification information from the IC card, the operation section starts to receive the second purchase instruction.